Funding
Disability Action has been notified by the Planning Service that they will cease funding our Access Service at the end of September. Discussions with the Minister Poots have seen the reinstatement of 25% of our original funding from April 2010 but what was a comprehensive service has now been decimated.
Disability Action will no longer be in a position to examine planning applications to ensure that in future public buildings continue to be accessible, nor to provide advice and advocate for disabled people experiencing discrimination and exclusion.
The problems disabled people experience with access was demonstrated in a survey of 200 disabled people in June 2010 which found that 81.25% had experienced a problem with access, 43.75% said they experienced problems “all the time”.
The Planning Service has also decided to stop the £25,000 in grant aid which funded the voluntary and community sector to improve access to their facilities and services and thereby encourage disabled people to participate in their own communities.
Disability Action has met with the Minister for the Environment, the Chairperson the the Environment Committee and other key stakeholders. However, we are now asking for your support to help us retain this important and valuable service.
You can do this in a number of ways.
You can sign the petition Click here to take survey
Or you can write to the Minster directly with your concerns. The address for writing to the Minister is:
Mr Edwin Poots
Minister for the Environment
Department of the Environment
Clarence Court
10-18 Adelaide Street
Belfast
BT2 8GB
If you do write to the Minister it would be helpful if you could also send us a copy of the letter so we can monitor the support.
If you require assistance with writing please do not hesitate to contact us.
If you would like any further information please email ceo@disabilityaction.org
